1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container handling apparatus which performs container handling, a container management system, and a method of container handling.
2. Description of Related Art
A container terminal is provided with; container cranes (container handling apparatuses) which are quay cranes for handling containers for container vessels, storage areas where the containers are stacked and kept at predetermined positions, Automatic Guided Vehicles (hereafter referred to as “AGV”) which transport the containers between the container cranes and the storage areas, and transfer cranes (container handling apparatuses) which load the containers in the storage areas onto visiting trailers, and which stack the containers on the AGVs at predetermined positions in the storage areas. Also, there are container terminals provided with transfer equipment (container handling apparatuses) which transport the containers between the AGV and the trailer. Moreover, there are container terminals where a trailer transports the containers between the storage areas and the container cranes.
Furthermore, for example, when containers in the storage area are loaded into a vessel, the container is loaded onto an AGV by a transfer crane, and this AGV transports the container to the position below the container crane, and the container crane performs handling of the container.
When container handling is performed using the container handling apparatuses described above, such as a container crane that loads and unloads the containers from a container vessel, a transfer crane that stacks the containers in a storage area, and transfer equipment, then it is verified where the handled container needs to be transported to, which AGV or trailer the container is to be loaded onto, and which position on the container vessel the container is to be loaded onto.
The verification operation of each container is performed by an operator who is stationed on the container handling apparatus, or an operator involved with container handling. However recently, automation of this verification operation has been considered.
For example, the technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-312854 (e.g. column 9, lines 12–40) is known as a technique for this automation.
To describe this more in detail, in the above patent publication, an example is described in which a communication device having a data reading device for reading container information stored in a data carrier installed on the container, is provided on a container handling apparatus that performs container handling with a spreader that holds the container.
However, since reading container information from the data carrier is performed by wireless communication with a communication device, then depending on conditions, there is a possibility that it is not possible to correctly read the container information.
For example, since the containers are stacked and adjacent to each other, then in the case where the data carrier of a container that is not the target of container information reading (hereafter referred to as “non-target container”), is positioned within the communicable range of the communication device due to the orientation or position of the container, or in the case where the communication strength between the non-target container and the data carrier is greater than the communication strength between the container that is the target of container information reading (hereafter referred to as “reading target container”), and the data carrier, there is a possibility of having the data carrier of the reading target container confused with the data carrier of a non-target container.
In such a case as this where accurate reading of the container information cannot be performed, a mistake in container verification may occur, and in this case, containers need to be re-stacked. This becomes a significant cause of decreased container handling efficiency.